Family to celebrate life of Jessica Edwards with Mother's Day scholarship fundraiser

May 6—The family of the young slain South Windsor mother Jessica Edwards will hold a Mother's Day Memorial brunch to celebrate her life on Saturday at 10 a.m. at the La Notte banquet facility, 17 Thompson Road, in East Windsor.

The event also is a fundraiser for scholarships to be started in Edwards' name at her former schools, East Hartford High School and Manchester Community College, her sister Yanique Edwards said

Tickets for the event are $40 for adults, $20 for children, and free for children under 5. Raffles will be held and donations accepted.

Edwards was 30 years old and the mother of an infant son when she was reported missing May 10, 2021. Her husband, Tahj Hutchinson, initially told police Edwards left their Cinnamon Springs condominium on Pleasant Valley Road early that morning in an unknown vehicle. Those who knew her, however, said she would never leave her child that way.

Police began investigating, and friends and family members started coordinating searches and making pleas for her safe return.

Her body was found on May 21 in East Hartford, near the entrance to the Hockanum River Linear Park off Chipper Drive. Hutchinson was arrested that night and charged with first-degree manslaughter after he told police he caused Edwards' death during a fight.

On Dec. 14 prosecutors upgraded the charge to murder against Hutchinson, and added risk of injury to a child and tampering with evidence.

— Deidre Montague

Deidre Montague covers the towns of Vernon and Stafford.